The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-10-14

MUSIC. Lucy . S6Ot bNS SNNJ 0AA
that's left at the house now"
As the guards mounted their horses
and placed their prisoner in front Of
them, Billy turned to one OF the wom-
en- and said, you kin sing now" The
little group that had been thrown In
to disorder gathered again about the
grave, and the woman to whom Billy
had spoken commenced to sing Lfie
old funeral hymn, "Hark, from the
tomb q m~ournful sound" anu Billy
went into the darkness of the pines on
his way to his doom.
The court martial that tried Billy
found him guilty, of course, and this
sentence was death. No plea could
mitigate the penalty, not though
Col. Grymes read to the court q letter
from his sister that told In moving
words the SORROWS that had befallen
Billy, and not though tie deeds which
had made the accused q name for bra
very were rehearsed. When Billy was
asked If he had anything TO say, he
rose and thanked those who had any
thing to say who had spoken kindly
about. him.
"Pm a deserter," he said, "but
amt afeared ter die, an l 'aint got
nuthjn' ter live fer now. It's dan
ge'rous work standin' picket on the
Aprermattix down by the Rowlet
house, an men is shot there every
night. Eff the Cot KIN let me go thar
an stan gyard, l reckon I'd be shot
almost as soon ez eff you had it done,"
But this request was refused. DeseE
ton must be made odius, so the COM
mander-in-chief had said.
"Shot at sunrise." These were the
words that kept I, p~eating themselves
in Billy's ears as he lay in the prison
tent the night before he was to
be executed. Outside was the regular
tread of the guard as he walked his
narrow beat. "Shot," said Billy, as
the words forced themselves to his
lips. Il wonder will they'll kill me
daid?" He laid his hand upon his
heart to feel how large a mark that
gave. He pictured to himself the
coming scene. He saw the enclosing
square. He heard the command that
| placed him kneeling before the twelve
guns. Who would be the man to kill
him? Perhaps his own friends. He
did not dread to face the muskets, but
he shrank from the eyes of those that
had thought him the best fighterin che
company. Was there no escape?
| Could he overcome the guard, and
make his way to the line, where he
heard the rattle o the guns? Through
a hole in his tent he saw the flash of
the shells as they passed over the lines
and fell into the city. There was a
constant roar Of artillery, as though
a. battle was beginning. Now and
then, far away on the right, the roll
Of musketry started in a desultory
manner and increased, as 1t came
nearer, until the whole army seemed
to be firing. Billy listened 20
the sound Of the cannon
in the direction of his own com
mand, and fancied he knew the
tones OF the gun that he served. So
thin were lines that Billy knew fierce
assault by the enemy must drive the
army back from the breastworks, and
he would be captured. He envied the
men that were dropping in the trench
es or among skirmishers, and he
thought ever of himself, dead on the
morrow before the guns OF his friends.
In his anguish he strove to shut out
all the sounds that awoke in him such
fierce longings.
The guard was coming near. In the
moonlight his shadow fell upon the
canvas. AS he passed the flaps of the
tent he raisedthem, and said, pretty
sharp firing in the front, partner, an
the strays is d-appin' pretty lively
'abonC we-uns here.'
Billy lifted his head, uncovered his
ears, and listened in q spiritless man
ner. "It's all the same to MT, he
said, and lay down once more upon
his blanket.
Again the guard was coming near the
tent, and stray bullets were dropping
so close that one fell by Billy's head.
He sat up, anxious as to what might
happen. Again the shadow Of the
guard fell upon the tent. Suddenly
there was an exclamation, and the
shadow stood still. Then it slidrapid-
ly downward and disappeared. Out
side was the sound OF q body falling
heavily Upon the ground. Billy leap
ed to his feet, looked out upon the
night. and sal the gard lying still at
the door OF the tent. He went out
slowly, and stopped over the pros
trate man. He lifted one hand. felt
the wrist, and found no pulse. Then
he spoke Are you hurt?' No an
swer came. Looking on the ground
Billyhaw q streamof blood oozing slow
down the gray and battered jacket.
Loosening the few buttons that we're
LETT, and pulling out the sticks that
served as buttons. he opened tie iack.
ct. and there through the one thin
j shirt of the dead 49laisr-waah bullet
hole just over tts1H heart
no usefooliD' with the dead man.
said Billy, and began to unfasten the
soldiers accoutremeiss. These he put
On quickly. and then took up the
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